ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) board on Friday approved revision of the layout plan of the Northern Strip of sectors E-11 and C-14.

The CDA board, which met with Chairman Mohammad Usman in the chair, took up several agenda items. The board approved revision of the layout plan of the E-11 Northern Strip, allowing 103 commercial and apartment plots in place of the site earlier reserved for high-rise apartment projects. The board decided that bylaws of the marakaz of Islamabad should be applied on the said plots.

CDA officials said E-11 was a fast growing sector and the said plots in total had the potential to generate over Rs40 billion. They said it was expected that in the upcoming auction, the CDA would put the first batch of the said plots for auction.

Similarly, the board also approved revised layout plan of C-14, increasing the number of plots of size 50x90, from 542 to 601. The board also approved auction of plot for construction of a five-star hotel adjacent to Marriott Hotel in F-5.

It authorised the CDA to send a summary to the federal government for final approval for auction of the plot, which measured measured around four acres. The plot was placed for auction in the 90s and 2013, but its auction could not materialise due to court cases.

A few months ago, the CDA officials decided in favour of the civic body and directed it to go for auction after getting approval from the federal government. Therefore, the matter was placed before the board to get its approval for sending the summary to the federal government.

The CDA officials said after getting approval from the government, the civic body would go for auction of this plot as with growing population, there was dire need for new hotels in the capital.

The board also approved amendments to policy for dealing with cases of those affected by land acquisition. Whereas, sources said the board also gave its consent to reduction in bus fare (shuttle service from Bhara Kahu bazaar to terminal of green bus service) from Rs20 to Rs15.

Meanwhile, the CDA board also took up an agenda item of making amendments to Zoning Regulations 1992 regarding Zone III of Islamabad. Islamabad has five zones and except this zone, which is part of Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) and private land, construction is allowed.

Zone III comprises of 50,000 acres and out of this 20,000 acres is private land. However, the CDA is neither acquiring it nor regulating construction activities on private land that resulted into mushroom growth of unauthorised construction.

The CDA board took up a summary of the Planning Wing and after slight discussion deferred it for getting more input on this subject. CDA officials Dawn spoke to said commercial activities and housing projects should not be allowed in this zone to protect the natural green character of Islamabad and CDA should regulate and allow construction of small houses on private land.

Other than the national park’s area, this zone comprises of some old villages that are located in hills and some outside of hills, such as a portion of Banigala, Lakhwal, Saidpur, Malpur, Bhara Kahu, Kot Hathial, Shah Allah Ditta, Sangjani and anything within a 2-kilometre radius of Rawal Dam.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2022